Electrical fixture



Patented' Feb. 2s, .1928.

g UNITED ,l ,ST M155 PATENT, oFiic-Ep.

WILLIAM B. oRoWisLi., or NEW Yoan, N. Y.,.Ass 1enonro nLnvATonsUrrmnsooM- PANY, Inc., ornonoirnn, NEW amasar, aces-scannen or nswunissent.

ELEc'rmcAL FIXTURE.

Application filed `May 3, 192.6. Serial` No.l 106,348Q* This invention relates to electric fixtures such as push button boxes, and more particularly to means for mounting such fix-V tures. v

'The invention has lspecial application to :io-called fiush type fixtures; that is, to fixtures of the type whereinthe electrical connections and the mechanical parts to which these connections are made are mounted in a casing 0r receptacle which is adapted to fit in a recess inthe 'wall of the building or vehicle on which the fixture is mounted. Other applications are possible, however, and will be'suggested by the following disclosure. p

It is an object of this invention to provide for a fixture of kthis typefnovel means for mounting and securing the same to the wallfor support in `which the Vfixture is placed. v

It is a further object of this invention to provide fasteningl means which Will beinconspicuous, and in fact invisible `to the. ordinary observer when the fixture is mounted f in position.'4 Such a method of fastening the fixture has decided advantages in that it conceals the mechanical parts, suchas screws andsimilar fastening members, thereby ren'- dering the fixture-more pleasing in appearance, and furthermore eliminating anyV danf ger of damaging the exposed portions of-the fixture 'by tampering with Vthe fastening means.

A further objectis to provide a construction which makes possible the permanent installation of thelfixture casing even before the walls of the building are finished, with positive assurance that the outer surface of the fixture, when installed upon completion of the plastering orfinishing of the Walls, canbe adjusted to align perfectly Vwith the finished wall surface, whether or not the finished Wall surface conforms to the specified or contemplated surface line. fore it has been impractical to install the fixtures before the walls were finished, because there Was no way of determining precisely where the Wall finishline would come. This condition meant inconvenience and eX- tra time for the electrical Worker,- who is usually a person Whose services areextremely expensive. 'f

' ByV employinginy novel mounting means, the electrician completes his Work 'to lsuit his own convenience, irrespective of the con- Heretic# dition of the Walls of the building. Then,

When thewalls are finished, it is' a sim-ple matter ,for Aany person to insert-the coverl plate. f

` Other ventlon Will-be apparent from the following description when fread in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a side view insection'thru `a typical fixture, such as a push button box.

Figure 2 is a View thru the'box lookin upwardalong line 2-2 of Figure 1.

'objects' and 'advantafgegof this in-A Figure 3 is a sectional viewiooking downward on line 3 3 Figure 1. v

vReferringto the drawings, reference characterv 1 designates a casing or box which. is common to all fixtures of Athis type and which is adapted to fitfinthe recess provided for the same `in the wall of the building Vor vehicle where the fixture is to 'be mounted; the outer surfacelof the Wall be# ing indicated rby the phantom line2 in Figure 1. n Y

The cover plate for` the box 1 is designated by numeral 3 in the drawing.andfcomprises preferably a metal plate having turned edges onall four sides, the topand bottom edges being indicated respectively by numerals 4f and 5 in Figure-1 and the side edges by numerals 6 and 7'in Figure l2. These edges are constructedand finished so as to fit flush against Wall 2, thus bringing the plane surface of the cover 3 flush against vthe outer edges of' box 1, as indicated vat 8 `14 of bushing 12 to one or more suitable lugs l5 castintegral with cover 3. y

Button 10 has atits inner lend a fiang 16 of insulating material for limiting the outward movement. Flange 16 has fastened thereto a .conductingstripiof resilient ina- `terial, as indicatedat 17, which strip has at- 'one end fa contact portion, as shown at 18V, and at kthe othery end is adapted to be This bushingis suitably sefastened to an insulating disc 19, which disc is heldin spaced relation to bushing 12 by means of oneor more screws 20, which engagethe lugs provided on the flange ot busl i ing 12, one of which lugs being shown at 21.

' Terminal posts 23 and 24-are provided Vfor the attachment of' suitable current conducting wires for the purpose of conveying cur-A rent to strips 22 and 17 respectively, these wires being `brought into the fixture box 1 j j from the source of current supply in any suitable manner, asV for example, thru the opening 25 provided in the rear wall of.

ox l.

'IheV contact making `means whereby an j electric circuit .is made whenever button 10 is pushed, which I have just described, is merely one of any number ofcontact malr-A ing means which would be suitable for the cation.

I will next describe the novel features einployed in mounting the cover 3 on the box 1 in such a manner that it will not be readily apparent to an observer just how the'fixture is constructed, or what means are employed for attaching the outer cover plate to the ixture proper. j

In the preferred form shown in the drawings this means comprises a pair oli-attaching plates, one forthe top and one for the bottom, as shown atV and 31 respectively. The upper plate 30, as best shown in Figure 2,` vcomprises a flat portion 32 centrally slotted as shown at 33 for the insertion of a bolt or cap screw 34, or other securing means. Plate 30 at'its other end has a curved portion as shown at 35, said curved portion also being slotted as shown at 36, but at right angles to the slot shown at 33.

In this slot a means for catching and positioning the outer cover 3 with respect to thev plate 30 is provided. As shown here in the preferred embodiment this means comprises a vertically` disposed projection 38 adapted to fit somewhat loosely in slot 36 and to be secured at its lower end to cover '3, preferably by means of a cap screw 39 passing thru the lower end ofplate 38 and into the .lug 40 cast integrally with plate 3 -in suit-v able position forthe purpose.

Cap screw 34 is secured in fixed position relativelyto box 1 as shown clearly in Figure 1, but can be loosened due to its threaded portion engagingtherewith, so that plate 30 may7 be shifted laterally' with respect to box 1, for the purpose of getting any desired within the. limits imposed bythe length of slot 33; ity

positioning for cover plate 13 being understood that the desired` positionf is that which brings the outer fcoverplate flush with the wall surface, as illustrated. j

With this` construction `for the upper fastening means it is apparent that the cover 1 3 is definitely locatedv and positioned with respect to boxl and in a manner which isV invisible from the outer surface.V Vhile this upper means assures that the cover will remain in its proper adjustedrelationto the of box 1. (lonsequentlyit isnecessaryto provide moans for preventing any downf ward movementof the outer cover 3.

In the preferred embodiment Vthisis vaccomplished by providing in the lower edge 5 of `cover 3i an orifice for theinsertion of` a screw or, other fasteningl means, which preferably passes upward at an angle, as

`shown in Figure 1, so as to'inalre assemblyV and removal easier l`or 'the person installing the fixture. This screw 43. passes thru the left-hand portion 44- of plate 31, thereby securing plate 31 and cover 3 in fixed relation to `each other. Plate 31 is further secured to box l in a 'manner similar to that em ployed for securing plate 32ste hthefupper portion of the box, it `being understood that the two screws 34 and 45" will be manipu lated in unison when adjustment of cover 3 for `flush position is being made,

With the foregoing description'read in conjunction with the attached drawings, it is obvious that the signal fixture is'installed in the recess in wall 2 by'lirstplacing the box 1 in the recess and then inserting'plates 30 and 3 1, plate 30being positioned sol that the outer edge of `s101336 will be on line with what is expected to be the outer surface of.`

wall 2, as shown in Figure 1. "lVith plate i 30 in this position, cap screw 34 will be in-` serted in the hole provided therefor vin box 1` and screwed up tightly so as to retain plate `30 inits proper position.

will nowbe attached and secured by means i ,i

of cap screw 45 in the position determined by the position of plate 30. `Cover 3 with lug 38 already secured thereto, can now or r` at whatever time the wall is finally finished -be pushed up in position as determined byV 4the `engagement of lug 38 with slot 36.

When thus positioned the entire unit may be made secure by inserting screw 43 and fixedly securing the same inthe manner clearly shown in Figure 1.

I have in this manner provided a signal box which canbe mounted before completion of the wallsurface with-its outer vcover adjustableso as to rest Hush against the sup-y porting wall when completed. Furthermore I have donethis without the use of any of the conspicuous mechanical fastening means which have been necessary heretofore and which cause an unsightly appearance,lbe

sides lsubjecting the outer surface of the fixture to the possibility of defacement when the cover is being removed or placed in position.

I/Vliile I have shown and described in detail a specific embodiment of my invention and a particular application thereof, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereby, but only by the scope of my invention as determined by my novel contribution to the art and as defined in the appended claims.

I claim: l

1. In a switch box cover plate, a casing, a plate mounted on the inner surface of said casing and provided with a slot allowing relative movement of said plate and casing,

a flanged cover for said casing,and means for attaching said cover to said plate, said means comprising a fastening member pas-s.- ing from the flange on said coverthru said plate. v

2. In a switch box cover plate, a casing, a plate mounted on the inner surface of vsaid casing, and provided with a slot allowing relative movement of said plate and casing, a cover for said casing having turned edges, and means for passing a screw through one of said turned edges and said plate.

3. In a switch box cover plate, a rectangular casing, a pair of slotted plates associated with the upper and lower inner surfaces of said casing respectively,` fastening means passing'through the slot in the upper plate and engaging the upper wall of said casing,

similar lfastening means engaging the lower wall of said casing, a cover '.tor said casing,

`and Vmeans for securing said'cover to said lower plate, comprising a single screw pass-V ing through said cover and said lower plate.

Il. In a switch boX cover plate, a rectangular casing, a vpair of slotted plates associated with the upper and lower inner surfaces of said casing respectively, fastening means passing through the slot in the upper plate and engaging .the upper wall of said casing,

similar fastening means engaging the lower wall of said casing, a` cover for said casing, means on the upper portion of said cover for engaging said upper `plate to position .said

cover with respect to said upper plate, and

means on the lower portion of said cover for securing the same to said lower plate, comprising a single screw passing through the lower portion of said cover andsaid lower plate. .Y Y y Signed at Hoboken, New Jersey, this 1st day of May.

WILLIAM B. CROWELL.` 

